Monday, April 08, 2013

Top shop

Before there was the Guggenheim Museum there was the V C Morris Gift Shop. We had a look at this prototype for FLW’s spiral ramped art effort while we were in San Francisco. The shop is now called Xanadu and its 1948 Lloyd Wright interior and entrance has been fully renovated by the current owner. Like the Guggenheim the store has the same restricted entrance to give the swooping ramp maximum impact as you enter the main space. There's also an elaborate roof lighting system to complement the large single volume of the store with its display cubby holes and intricate detailing.  Xanadu is at 140 Maiden Lane between Union Square and Kearny, you can see more pics and the plans here on Stuff.

Images looking North(top) and South from the top of the spiral